Signatures of biologically influenced CaCo₃ and Mg–Fe silicate precipitation in hot springs: Case study from the Ruidian geothermal area, western Yunnan Province, China

Abstract

Hot springs at Gongxiaoshe and Zhuyuan (maximum temperatures of 73 to 84°C, respectively) are characterized by deposits formed of calcite, aragonite, non‐crystalline Si–Mg–Fe deposits, and minor amounts of barite and gypsum. The deposits at Gongxiaoshe are formed largely of alternating calcite and aragonite laminae, whereas those at Zhuyuan are formed largely of calcite. The calcite is in the form of: (i) pseudodendrites that grew as sub‐crystals stacked upon each other; and (ii) unattached euhedral and incompletely formed dodecahedral and rhombohedral crystals. Amorphous CaCO3, formed of nanoparticles <1 μm long, is common in some of the Zhuyuan deposits, but minor in the Gongxiaoshe deposits. The morphologically diverse arrays of aragonite crystals that lie parallel to bedding were not nucleated on a growth surface. Many substrates in these deposits are covered with reticulate coatings that are formed largely of Si and Mg with minor Fe and micro‐granular coatings that are formed largely of Si and Fe. Biofilms, with their extracellular polymeric substances, and microbes are common at both springs. The compositionally and crystallographically diverse precipitates at these two springs are attributed to a biologically influenced model with precipitation taking place in micro‐domains that developed in the extracellular polymeric substances. According to this model, precipitation varied at the micron‐scale influenced by the elemental concentrations that developed in the hydrogel of extracellular polymeric substances. Critically, the very low preservation potential of the extracellular polymeric substance and its formative microbes means that the precipitates will rapidly lose evidence of their biotic origin. The compositional diversity of the precipitates, the crystallographic diversity of the calcite and aragonite with numerous incompletely formed crystals, and local concentrations of Si, Mg and Fe may, however, serve as proxies of that biologically influenced precipitation.

Carbonate and silicate biomineralization in a hypersaline microbial mat (Mesaieed sabkha, Qatar): Roles of bacteria, extracellular polymeric substances and viruses

“…Biogenic clay minerals have also been observed in soils, freshwater microbial mats, and in deep sea deposits (Köhler et al ., ; Tazaki, , 2006). Magnesium‐iron silicates have been reported in association with hot‐spring carbonate deposits in the Ruidian geothermal area, China (Jones & Peng, ), and observed in deep sea sediments from Iheya Basin, Japan (Ueshima & Tazaki, ).…”

“…In hot springs, silicified viral particles have been described by Laidler & Stedman (), Peng et al . () and Jones & Peng (); experimental silicification of viruses has been achieved by Orange et al . ().…”

Preservation in microbial mats: mineralization by a talc-like phase of a fish embedded in a microbial sarcophagus

“…In addition, the occurrence of similar silicates has been reported repeatedly in other diverse environments such as hot springs (Jones and Peng, 2014) or marine sediments (Badaut and Risacher, 1983). Stevensite, sepiolite, or kerolite (an hydrated talc-like phase) have been proposed as possible authigenic candidate phases forming under these conditions (e.g., Tosca and Masterson, 2014).…”

Relative influence of biotic and abiotic processes on travertine fabrics, Satono‐yu hot spring, Japan

“…However, several studies have emphasized the importance of microbial processes affecting travertine precipitation rates, crystalline structure and fabrics (e.g. Chafetz & Folk, ; Guo & Riding, ; Folk, , ; Ford & Pedley, ; Chafetz & Guidry, ; Riding, ; Pentecost, ; Rainey & Jones, ; Brasier, ; Fouke, ; Jones & Peng, , ; Capezzuoli et al ., ; Brasier et al ., ; Della Porta, ; Jones, ,b).…”